All the students at Shirley Elementary took a little time out of their busy scholastic schedule to enjoy a party with this cake which depicted 100 objects/events associated with their school days so far this 2011-2012 school year. Pictured here are just two of the classrom students who participated.

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A FUN class in Conversational Spanish is currently in session on Saturday mornings, and will be offered again for Spring I. (Spanish will not be scheduled during the work week during Spring I.) Oil painting, computer basics, Excel, photography, “Searching the Internet” and others will be offered again based on student interest. New classes for Spring I include private and semi-private piano lessons, and sculpting with different materials. (See last week’s issue of Fairfield Bay News for information on the instructor, Ann Mitchell.)

Please support your “community” education center by enrolling in classes. We also have free GED classes in our facility through the North Central Career Center headquartered in Leslie, beginning again in February. Anyone needing the GED testing and certification may call the Center at 8848-4440, and ask for Gayla. (GED tutoring will not be free of charge in 2013.) So get started now!

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Second Nine Weeks All A’s Seventh Grade—Mariana Larson Eighth Grade—Courtney Bradford Ninth Grade—Haley Lewis Tenth Grade—Allison Ferrell, Nikki Owen Twelfth Grade—Emily McCabe Second Nine Weeks All A’s and B’s Seventh Grade—Joseph Owen, Jed Privitt, Makala Strang, Benton Berry, Sydney Cothran, Amber Pugh, Kaitlin Wright Eighth Grade—Katie Hutto, Tessa Berry, James Vinson, Mary Considine, Ninth Grade—Emily Lott, McKenzie Barker, Kim Pierce Tenth Grade—Deana Sowell, Dylan Ruple, Sidney Burgess, Katie Treuter Eleventh Grade—Cassina Otto, Mathew Collins, Candace Piggee, Justice Waldman, Will Stewart Twelfth Grade—Cory Ward SALC Honor Roll—Billy Bunker, Bobby Kirkendoll, Huntar Courville, Damian Forrester.

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NOTE: Conversational Spanish is also scheduled on Saturday mornings, beginning on January 14, 2012. Beginning Photography and Microsoft EXCEL classes started on January 12. There is still space available in these classes. Group therapy will be available starting in January for tobacco addiction. Get the details, by calling 884-4440.

SPREAD THE WORD that we also have free GED classes in our facility through the North Central Career Center headquartered in Leslie, beginning again in February. Anyone needing the GED testing and certification may call the Center at 8848-4440, and ask for Gayla.

Sculpting Classes Coming To The Community Education Center At Fairfield Bay

The Fairfield Bay Community Education Center is pleased to announce that sculpting classes will be offered beginning the week of February 9, 2012, by local sculptor Ann Mitchell. Class details will be listed on our schedule and provided by February 9. Anne creates powerful emotional tableaus in photography, painting and sculpture, but her preferred medium is cast bronze. The “Equus” bronze series of horses that she is presently working on depicts horses in various dramatic poses and attitudes. Anne also sculpts human and representational figures that emanate emotion and strength. Nature and a passion for life influence her compositions. After serving an enlistment in the US Air Force, Anne earned her B.A. degree from University of California in Riverside with a teaching credential from Redlands University, CA and pursued additional master art studies at Colorado State University. She taught alternative education classes and was an art counselor at a youth group home while living in California. Anne also has worked as laboratory research photographer, a commercial artist, an educator, and as a sculptor. She has traveled the U.S. and parts of Europe, enjoying the diversity of art and life in these areas. Anne would integrate art into her teaching. She believes that besides reinforcing the area of study, that the application of art would augment her students’ views of life. Sculpture, she discovered, conveyed “the story” differently than one-dimensional works. The texture of the media, the media itself and the labor-intensive involvement in sculpting, fosters an emotional intensity to the process of the piece. Anne resides in Clinton, Arkansas, and is a board member of the Arkansas Sculptors Guild. She participates annually in sculpture shows and other local art events, and recently finished a bronze, commissioned by the 489th Engineer Battalion, United States Army Reserves. Her most recent awards have been 2009 Art Church exhibition, Peoples Choice Award and the 2010 Shine a Light on Literacy fundraiser, Peoples Choice Award, held at the Governor’s Mansion in Little Rock. Anne can be reached at studio8@artelco.com or www.arsculptorsguild.org , click on “members”.

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It’s the day before Christmas Eve and Santa is ready to take the reindeer on their annual test drive before the big day. But what’s this? The reindeer can’t fly?! Or… is it that they won’t fly? Santa and the elves can’t figure it out, but something is definitely wrong. Enter “The Reindeer Whisperer.” With his keen sense of understanding, mastery, and in-depth knowledge of reindeer lore, he is able to hear what no elf has heard before. The Elementary music classes are seen here performing The Reindeer Whisperer on December 16, 2011 at the Shirley Auditorium for a full house and director Vincent Biondi. Biondi is now off to teaching high school this semester and starting up his band again, which has grown the past two years under his direction. “We have over forty high school students in the band program this year and I highly anticipate that continuing next year with around fifty to sixty students in the program” says Biondi. There are innate problems that exist with any growing music program, such as need for more instruments, scheduling of classes, and time restraints on the director. “This is a good problem to have. Whereas many schools and directors are having problems getting students to join, the level of excitement in my classes is contagious and the morale is very high and expectations are even higher. I have complete confidence in our school administrators and community to help support us as we see our students take this music program to a level this school hasn’t ever seen here.” Some upcoming events for the music department are Solo and Ensemble Competition on March 3 in Dover, Spring Band Concert on May 20 at 3 pm in the Shirley Auditorium, Shirley Idol, a Recital Concert and more to come.

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Registration for the Fairfield Bay Community Education Center’s Winter II classes was held on January 4; however, there are still a few spots available in a few classes.  Please call the Center to inquire about additional subject classes that could be available later in January based on demand and number of students interested, i.e. piano lessons (private or semi-private), sculpture and drawing.

 Please support your “community” education center by enrolling in classes.  

 NOTE:  Conversational Spanish is also scheduled on Saturday mornings, beginning on January 14, 2012.  Beginning Photography  and Microsoft EXCEL classes start on January 12.  There is still space available in these classes.  Group therapy will be available starting in January for tobacco addiction.  Get the details, by calling 884-4440.

 SPREAD THE WORD that we also have free GED classes in our facility through the North Central Career Center headquartered in Leslie, beginning again in February.  Anyone needing the GED testing and certification may call the Center at 8848-4440, and ask for Gayla.

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The Van Buren County Retired Teachers Association conducted a meeting on Tuesday, November 15, with guest, Mr. Les Upton, President of Arkansas Retired Teachers Association (ARTA). The topic for the November Meeting was Membership; and the committee chair was George Condray. Mr. Upton had a 31 year career as a teacher and administrator; and he now resides in Boone County. He reported that the Arkansas Retired Teachers Association is a financially sound system. He explained the importance of retired teachers keeping their membership dues paid, so that we will have a strong voice in the legislative matters coming up that might have future effects on ARTA. State membership dues are only $18 per year and the county dues are $2 per year. Mr. Upton reported that there are 192 retired teachers in Van Buren County. We active members of the VBC Retired Teachers Association extend an invitation to all retired teachers and other retired school personnel to join and participate in the following meetings, which will be conducted at the Western Sizzlin’ Steakhouse at 11:30 am: January 17 meeting is Community Service – Frankie Treece, Chair. The March 20 meeting is Informative and Protective Services – Betty Oliger, Chair. The May 15 meeting is Report on the Area Meeting and Planning. The July 17 meeting is Officer Installation.

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2012 Winter Classes

Winter II class schedules are now available for January 9 through February 9, 2012, on the ffbchamber.org, fairfieldbaynews.com, and cityoffairfieldbay.com. Please support your “community” education center by enrolling in classes. Registration is at the Center on January 4, 2012, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For additional information call 884-4440. Other subject classes may be available later in January based on demand and number of students interested. NOTE: Conversational Spanish is also scheduled on Saturday mornings, beginning on January 14, 2012. Beginning Photography class and Microsoft EXCEL class starts on January 12. Get the details, by calling 884-4440. SPREAD THE WORD that we also have free GED classes in our facility through the North Central Career Center headquartered in Leslie, beginning again in February. Anyone needing the GED testing and certification may call the Center at 8848-4440, and ask for Gayla.

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